Education should never be an ivory tower activity. Learning from and contributing to academic exchanges and community projects are important ways for students to expand their horizons, both educationally and as members of society. The OUHK encourages our students to engage in a wide range of different projects, and we are proud of the enthusiasm with which they do this.

Academic exchanges

Chan May-yan, a full-time accounting Year 1 student, was among the outstanding representatives from local universities who were selected to join the 2011 Global Citizenship Programme organized by the Dragon Foundation in June 2011. The theme of the seven-day programme held in Bangkok, Thailand, was ‘Sustainable Development Opportunities and Challenges: Global, Regional, and Local Levers for Migration Issues’.

Twelve nurses from a number of institutions and hospitals in Guangdong were received by the OUHK Nursing Team when they visited us in April 2011. The two parties shared their experience on training nursing students.

The OUHK Student Debate and Speech Society’s team met with strong competition in their first attempt in the Liberal Cup Debate Competition in April 2011. Although they lost to last year’s winner, the University of Science and Technology, our team members said afterwards that they had gained valuable experience from participating.

A team of our environmental studies graduates led by Prof. Ho Kin-chung, the Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Assistant Lecturer Mr Wong Yee-keung and graduate Mr John Kwok Hon-wah, joined the Hong Kong Reef Check for the first time last year. Our volunteers were assigned a site at Wong Ye Kok in Tung Ping Chau during the three-month project, which was organized by the Reef Check Foundation and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and began in mid-2011.

Cultural activities

Chan Hoi-fai and Wong Chor-wing, full-time BBA students, were chosen to join 98 other young Chinese leaders from around the world at the Dragon Foundation’s Dragon 100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum 2011 held in July 2011. Conducted in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, the exchange programme examined various aspects of the theme ‘Caring about the Poor: Today and Tomorrow’.

The Open University Orchestra gave its premiere performance in the Serena Yang Lecture Theatre in October 2011. Entitled ‘Step Up’, the 42-member ensemble’s concert included famous classical pieces by Bizet, Mozart and Beethoven, as well as contemporary compositions by John Williams and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Our musicians received warm applause from the 200 students, staff members, alumni and friends in the audience.

Members of the OUHK Chinese Students and Scholars Association attended a gathering for mainland students of local tertiary institutions organized by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in November 2011.

In the same month, 16 students and two staff members took part in an exchange activity with the People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison organized by the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR. The programme included military and cultural performances, and was also attended by representatives of other local tertiary institutions.

Also in November 2011, five OUHK students were briefed by officials and diplomats about international diplomacy during a visit by tertiary institutions to the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR.

Contributing to the community

Forty-four of our staff members and students raised $12,000 for the Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation when they participated in Wu Zhi Xing 2011 on the Tai Tam Waterworks Heritage Trail in November 2011. The event was organized by the foundation to support its bridge-building projects in remote areas of mainland China.

More than 80 OUHK representatives took part in the Lifeline Express CCB Asia Charity Run/Walk 2011 at Clear Water Bay Country Club in October 2011. The event aimed to raise public concern about poor people suffering from cataracts in mainland China and to raise funds for the Lifeline Express Eye Hospital Train. Our team raised more than $29,000 for this purpose.

Our nursing students provided voluntary services at various events. They conducted health assessments at a Tin Shui Wai Women’s Association event in October 2011 and the World Diabetes Day carnival in November 2011. They also provided voluntary services at a running event in Clear Water Bay in January 2012. A number of nursing staff and students ran a game booth at a health and safety carnival in Wong Tai Sin District in February 2012.

Students’ Union

In September and October 2011, scholars and representatives of political parties and the Hong Kong Federation of Students were the guest speakers at two talks organized by the OUHK Students’ Union. They discussed issues arising from the arrangements for filling vacancies in the Legislative Council and civic education, respectively.

To mark the centenary of China’s 1911 Revolution (the Xinhai Revolution), the Students’ Union invited Dr Chiu Yu-lok, Associate Professor in the School of Arts and Social Sciences, to talk about the relationship between the Xinhai Revolution and modern Japan at a gathering on 10 October 2011. An on-campus exhibition of digital images of the 12 Xinhai series woodcut prints created by artist Mr Fong So was also held during the same month.

In March 2012, cabinet ‘NEXUS’ was elected to the Executive Committee of the fifth OUHK Students’ Union. Dickson Chau, the President of the OUHK Students’ Union, pledged that he and his team would abide by their campaign promises to speak for fellow students, help raise their awareness on social affairs, fight for their benefits and safeguard their legitimate interests.